Free Éclair Case of Murder: A Culinary Cozy Mystery (A Rosie Kale Culinary Cozy Mystery Book 2) by Leigh Selfman Page A

I’m guessing she’d love to donate the desserts. It’s for a great cause, after all.”
    “Oh, that would be wonderful!” Diane gave me a big smile. “As you know, the proceeds are all going to the Women in Crisis Charity. We’re even having someone sing a special song after the play to honor Helen.”
    “That’s lovely. I’m sure her family will appreciate it.”
    Diane nodded. “Sammy’s still so broken up. And Chuck.” She shook her head, sadly. “I hope you’re not still thinking he had something to do with it.”
    “I honestly don’t know,” I shrugged. “But my investigation has sort of stalled out right now anyway.”
    “That’s good,” Diane said. “I’d hate for you to do anything to upset the family any more. Not at this time.”
    I was about to respond when she looked at her watch and then glanced at the stage.
    “Well let me know about the catering,” she said. And with that she turned to head back towards her waiting actors.
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter 20
     
     
     
     
    The next morning I was back in my car, across the street from the Wright’s house, waiting and determined. I was going to get inside today if it killed me.
    First Chuck Wright’s car pulled out.
    Then, twenty minutes later, Purple Streak drove off in her red jeep with Sammy Wright in the passenger seat. I didn’t know if they were leaving for the day or if she was just going to drop him somewhere and then return, so I knew I had to hurry. The last thing I wanted was another confrontation with that purple-streaked maniac.
    I left my car where it was across the street and hurried up to the house to ring the doorbell. Mrs. Pond answered it almost immediately then stared at me for a moment as if trying to place who I was.
    I smiled sweetly and said, “Hi, I’m Rosie Kale, I brought those cupcakes by last week.”
    “Of course, how are you, Rosie?” she said with a smile. Though friendly, she appeared slightly puzzled by my presence.
    “I was wondering if I could get that cupcake tray back,” I explained. “We could use it at the shop. Though if you already got rid of it, I understand.”
    “No, of course not. We have it inside. Come in, come in.”
    As she led the way through the family room and into the kitchen, I followed behind, pausing to look into the living room at the large painting of Helen that hung on the wall over the fireplace. I particularly looked at the lower half of it—the portion that was visible in Purple Streak’s photo.
    To my untrained eye it appeared to be the same as in the photo: a sea of black fabric that made up the lower half of Helen’s dress, against a dark blue background.
    Just to be sure, while Mrs. Pond’s back was turned, I quickly snapped a shot of the entire painting with my cell phone. Then I followed her into the kitchen.
    “Ah here it is,” she said as she searched through one of the lower kitchen cabinets for the cupcake tray. She turned around with a pleased expression on her face and handed it to me. “Thank you again for bringing the cupcakes by. Everyone loved them.”
    “I’m so glad to hear it. How are you all doing?”
    “Holding up,” she sighed. “As well as can be expected, I suppose. It’s very hard on Sammy. He’ll be staying home instead of returning to boarding school for awhile.”
    “I guess it’s important for him to be with his father at this time,” I said.
    She nodded sadly. “Well, thank you again for the cupcakes.”
    We both started walking back out towards the front door and as we passed the living room, I again let my eyes wander to the painting over the mantle.
    “It’s such a striking painting,” I said, stopping to stare. I was hoping that my comment would be enough to elicit more information from her.
    “Isn’t it though?” Mrs. Pond answered, looking sadly at the painting. “I’m just so glad Helen got to see it that evening before the party. It was so thoughtful of Chuck to have had it painted. Such a lovely